Clash between Cong workers and JD(S) candidate Bava's supporters; complaints filed

A complaint and a counter-complaint have been lodged at the Bajpe police station here after Congress workers alleged that the supporters of Mangaluru North Janata Dal (Secular) candidate B A Mohiuddin Bava assaulted them on Tuesday night. Two Congress workers who were injured in the scuffle, Nizam and Hasher, have been admitted to a private hospital.

Bava had switched over to JD(S) recently after he was denied a Congress ticket. Sources said the incident occurred when Congress workers intercepted a car alleging that the JD(S) candidate had brought money in a car to distribute to voters, which led to an altercation between the two groups. Later, both groups went to Bajpe police station where Bava’s supporters allegedly assaulted Nizam and Hasher in front of the candidate. The injured Nizam used to work as Bava’s car driver and had recently pledged support to Mangaluru North Congress candidate Inayat Ali.

JD(S) workers, in a counter complaint, alleged that Nizam and other Congress workers assaulted Bava, who also sought treatment at a hospital. Meanwhile, in Belthangady, police arrested town panchayat vice president Jayananda Gowda of BJP late night on Tuesday after he was caught red-handed distributing cash to voters. Sources said Gowda was caught by former MLA and Congress leader Vasanth Bangera at the Kallaguttu colony in the taluk.